Martin roy training log

[Martin Roy]

Good day on the bench. In fact, it went better than I had anticipated. I'm finishing my ramping up phase this week so I wasn't figuring on pushing the weight significantly. But I surprised myself.

After warm up sets at 95 and 115, the sequence:

lbs/sets/reps

135x2x5
145x2x5
155x3x3

I thought about stopping after the last three sets; they were solid and really felt good. But I decided to see how far I go comfortably with a series of singles; so continuing:

160x1
165x1
170x1
175x1

All of these singles went up smoothly and indicate that I'm closer to my initial goal of sets at 185.
Followed up with pec deck flyes, traps, seated bench rows, tricep dips, ab work, and stretching.
A good session. Tomorrow is squat day.

[Alan H]

Nice! You keep this up and you'll have a single at 200+ pretty soon.

[Martin Roy]

Yesterday was supposed to squat day but all the racks were taken and after doing some other stuff - lats, curls, traps, reverse extensions, and a few others I can't recall - I got tired of waiting. So today became squat day.

After warm ups, the sequence:

lbs/sets/reps

155x1x5
185x2x5
205x2x5
225x2x3
235x1x3
235x1x1
185x2x5

Next week I'll be looking to start pushing the weight up to 250.

Finished up with 10 minutes on the bike and then a good stretch.

[o1d_dude]

Improvise, Adapt, Overcome.

You're doing a LOT of work getting up to your work sets. That's going to take a lot of gas out of the tank and limit your ability to exert the necessary strength under the heavy weight. This is what causes a plateau or sticking point in strength gains.

This is what you did:

lbs/sets/reps

155x1x5 (775 lbs)
185x2x5 (1850 lbs)
205x2x5 (2050 lbs or 4650 lbs BEFORE your work sets)
225x2x3 (1350 lbs)
235x1x3 (705 lbs)
235x1x1 (235 lbs or 2290 lbs in work sets)
185x2x5 (1850 lbs in back off sets)

Total poundage: 8790 lbs with an average of 195.3 lbs per rep.

Here's what you might try next time:

lbs/sets/reps

155x1x3 (465 lbs)
185x1x2 (370 lbs)
225x1x1 (225 lbs or 1060 lbs before work sets)
235x1x3 (705 lbs)
245x1x3 (735 lbs)
250x1x3 (750 lbs or 2190 lbs in work sets)

Total poundage: 3250 lbs with an average of 216.6 lbs per rep.

This is a 3x3 workout. There are also 5x5 workouts, same principle just more reps and sets. The principle is simple. Do 3 or 5 reps, add weight, repeat until you get your 3 or 5 sets. These workouts are staples in the field of strength building. You get stronger but you don't take a big hit on your recovery.

If recovery isn't an issue for you, load up the bar with 185 lbs or so knock out a set of 20 reps. One set, 20 reps. You may walk like Frankenstein's monster afterward but it builds strength.

[Alan H]

I agree with 01d_dude. I think you're pushing the weight too many times. If you really like that, then what the heck, but you might vary it by dropping the number of total repetitions. Notice in his recommendation, you're actually pushing the weight a total of 15 times. In what you did, you pushed that weight up 45x!!!

I mean, 45 reps is not BAD, but maybe cut that in half for a while, and accelerate the pace of moving up the weights. My general rule is that I try to push the eight 16 times, total, and not more than about 24 times at most. After a month of that, go back to your high-reps plan, if you like it.

So for me, when I get started actually squatting for real, it'll probably look like this:

1 x 6 x 135
1 x 4 x 185
2 x 2 x 225
3 x 1 x 245 ... I've pushed weight 17x in this scenario.

In about two months, it'll look like this...

1 x 4 x 135
1 x 4 x 185
1 x 3 x 225
1 x 2 x 245
1 x 2 x 265
1 x 2 x 285

and hopefully at the end of February it'll look like this...

1 x 4 x 135
1 x 4 x 185
1 x 3 x 225
1 x 3 x 265
3 x 1 x 285
3 x 1 x 305
1 x 1 x 315 or 320

[Martin Roy]

Kit, Alan -

I really appreciate the comments and I will give the ideas very serious thought. To explain my thinking in what I have been doing, I learned the hard way about 10 years ago when I went on a lifting program that, as we age, our muscular strength will increase faster than the connective stuff, ligaments and tendons, can get ready to handle the increasing load. Back then I started out, made quick progress, and within a few months had tweaked shoulders and biceps such that I shut it down completely for at least six months to heal. When I resumed I went back to the beginning to build a strong foundation before starting to increase the weight. Then, I had some heart issues several years ago that really derailed things and resulted in my getting a pacemaker implanted in 2006. After that, I was really back to the very beginning.

When I got the bug to participate in highland games in the latter part of 2009 I literally started with the bar, doing multiple reps to start rebuilding my foundation. After the 2010 season I approached the offseason intending to both increase strength, but also to refocus on form to avoid a repeat of injury. Hence, my mantra: the weight is an illusion, form is everything. That notion has held me in good stead thus far because I've significantly increased my overall strength while managing to avoid injury.

In a sense, then, the high number of reps leading up to the heavier weights I have viewed as an injury avoidance measure and I think it has increased endurance as well. During my second offseason last year, my goal was to boost strength, not necessarily by going for max lifts but, if you think in terms of a pyramid, by broadening and thickening the lower two-thirds of my strength pyramid. My thinking was that I was in this for the long term and I took to heart Steve Elliott's observation that it took him about five years to build the requisite body strength for the games. Thus, I figured that last year was the second year of a five-year program. This offseason is the third year and, having built a solid foundation, I think, I'm ready to make a serious effort to hit the 1-2-3 plate goals that I mentioned in an earlier post. If I reach those goals, or even if I come close to them, I will be stronger than I have ever been in my entire life.

October has been my ramp up phase to set the stage for starting a push to increased loads beginning in November. I'm at the end of that phase now and headed into November. My intent is to follow your suggestions, cut the reps, go heavier earlier in the lift sequence, and see how it works and how it feels. In fact, I'll start this evening - it's overhead press day. I promise a full report.

Again, thanks for your comments. I'm always looking for new ideas on how to get better at this.

[Martin Roy]

I want to be this guy when I grow up.


http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/trai...medical-marvel

[Martin Roy]

Strict overhead press this evening, using the fewer reps/more weight approach discussed above.

Warm up, then:

lbs/sets/reps

65x1x5
85x1x5
95x1x3
105x3x2
110x2x1
95x1x5
95x1x4 (failed on the 5th)

I also took a shot at 115 after the 110, but I'm not quite there yet. It's close though.

Finished with some bike and ab work; had to leave for Friday Night Football at Aptos HS.

Overall this approach felt good and I'll continue to use it with my other main lifts.
(Thanks guys)

[Martin Roy]

Rack pulls today, but I wasn't sure how it would go given that I did squats on Thursday instead of Wednesday. I generally avoid intense lifting three days in a row. However, after warm up everything went well.

Rack set at mid-shin:

lbs/sets/reps

135x1x5
185x1x5
205x1x5
225x1x3
235x1x2
245x1x1
255x3x1

Finished with a long bike, ab work, and a looong stretch.

Water polo this afternoon; my daughter's team is playing in the league championship match. First place if they win. Either way they have a spot in the Central Coast Sectional play-offs next week.

[Alan H]

+++++ Looks good to me.

Tell the young lass, R "best of luck, go tear it up!" from me.